Keith Levene, who co-founded the Clash and was an authentic member of Public Image Ltd., has died in Norfolk, U.Ok. His loss of life was confirmed by former bandmates Martin Atkins and Jah Wobble on social media. The Guardian experiences that Levene died of liver most cancers. He was 65.
An influential guitarist, Levene fashioned the Clash alongside Mick Jones and Paul Simonon when he was simply 18. He and the band’s supervisor, Bernard Rhodes, memorably requested Joe Strummer to affix them.
Born Julian Levene in Muswell Hill, north London, Levene appeared on the Clash’s 1977 debut album (“What’s My Name”). As the Clash moved right into a extra political path, nonetheless, Levene left and fashioned P.I.L. with former Sex Pistols member John Lydon and Jah Wobble. Levene appeared on 1978’s Public Image: First Issue, 1979’s Metal Box, and 1981’s The Flowers Of Romance.
Levene left P.I.L. in 1983, and two years later he moved to Los Angeles. In 1986, he produced demos for Red Hot Chili Peppers’ album The Uplift Mofo Party Plan by with engineers Steve Catania and Dan Nebenzal. Levene additionally labored with DJ Matt Dike, creating samples for Ice T and Tone Loc. In 1989, he launched his first solo launch, Violent Opposition, which additionally featured members of the RHCP.
As the Guardian writes, Levene apparently loved constructing guitars and had been engaged on a guide about P.I.L. with author Adam Hammond, who wrote in a tribute: “It is with great sadness I report that my close friend and legendary Public Image Limited guitarist Keith Levene passed away on Friday 11th November.”
Hammond continued:
There is little question that Keith was one of the progressive, audacious and influential guitarists of all time.
Keith sought to create a brand new paradigm in music and with prepared collaborators John Lydon and Jah Wobble succeeded in doing simply that. His guitar work over the 9 minutes of ‘Theme’, the primary observe on the primary PiL album, outlined what various music must be.
As nicely as serving to to make PiL a very powerful band of the age, Keith additionally based The Clash with Mick Jones and had a serious affect on their early sound. So a lot of what we take heed to right now owes a lot to Keith’s work, a few of it acknowledged, most of it not.
Our ideas and love exit to his associate Kate, sister Jill and all of Keith’s household and associates. The world is a darker place with out his genius. Mine can be darker with out my mate.